Team Suzuki-Bontrager in yellow at Herald Sun Tour

Team Suzuki-Bontrager dominated proceedings on the opening day of Australia’s most prestigious cycling race – the Jayco Herald-Sun Tour.

Team Suzuki rider Jordan Kerby upstaged the class field – including Tour de France stage winners Stuart O’Grady and Simon Gerrans – to snare the yellow leaders jersey after winning the opening prologue.

The 20-year-old won the 4.7km individual prologue time trial based around Williamstown in 5mins 25.01secs to secure the honour of wearing the leader’s yellow jersey in the opening road stage.

Kerby sought out team manager John Forrest in early December seeking a ride just to experience racing in a “big tour”. He said winning the opening stage was not even on his radar.

“I really wanted to do this tour, it’s a great tour and I rang John Forest from Suzuki-Bontrager to ask if they had any spots," Kerby said. "I’m really grateful he took me in and so happy to be able to repay him with that."

Kerby had to endure a long wait to decide his win. He was rider number 40 in a field of 108 and the remaining 68 riders were unable to better his winning time. So nervous was he during the wait that he went for a ride around the streets of Williamstown to pass the time.

“It’s a big tour with all these big name. It’s on my shoulders too so it’s going to be a big task to try and keep the jersey so we’ll do what we can.”

They Jayco Herald-Sun Tour finished on Sunday, January 6. You can follow Kerby’s result – and that of Team Suzuki-Bontrager at suzukicycling.com